Bikram Choudhury

Bikram Choudhury is an Indian-American yoga guru best known for creating Bikram Yoga, a style of hot yoga comprising 26 postures and two breathing exercises performed in a room heated to 104°F (40°C). Born on February 10, 1946, in Calcutta, India, Choudhury began his yoga training at age four under Bishnu Ghosh, the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda . He immigrated to the United States in the early 1970s, where he established the Yoga College of India™ and popularized his hot yoga method, attracting a global following and celebrity clientele, including Madonna and Lady Gaga .

Despite his success, Choudhury's career has been marred by numerous allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and misconduct. In 2016, a California jury awarded his former attorney, Minakshi Jafa-Bodden, $6.8 million in damages after she accused him of wrongful termination and harassment . Following these legal battles, Choudhury fled the United States and has since been reported to be residing in Mexico and India, continuing to teach yoga internationally despite ongoing lawsuits and an arrest warrant issued in the U.S. .

One of Bikram Choudhury’s notable quotes is: "Yoga is the only exercise in the world you can do at any age. There is always some posture that will improve your health, mind, and soul" . Another is: "Never too old, never too bad, never too late, never too sick to start from scratch once again" . These statements reflect his emphasis on the accessibility and transformative potential of yoga. However, it's important to consider these teachings within the broader context of his controversial personal and professional history.